One journey to change everything
by allknowing12
Summary: After a huge upheaval in Ash's life, he is forced to take a journey around Kanto, to realize that the the thing he needs more than anything is right where it ought to be. Can he negotiate a huge emotional setback to fight for what he needs the most?


A gentle breeze rippled across the soft grass. Spring had well and truly arrived in Kanto. The flowers were out, the pidgey were chanting their favourite song sweetly, giving an ambience of pure relaxation to the grassland where Ash Ketchum asleep. Across him lay a slim young woman. She was dressed, as always, in a red blouse, blue cycling shorts, yellow belt and sneakers. Her brunette hair fell softly to her shoulders, and atop it she wore her trademark red pokeball bandana. Her name was May and a prettier girl you would struggle to find. She and Ash had travelled together since they were ten years old. There had been period of some 3 years when she had travelled the Johto region all by herself, however as time had gone on, she slowly began to realize that part of the life she had before, was an integral part of her life that she couldn't live without. At first she struggled to figure out what it was that was missing from before, it was only when she had finally been re-united with Ash that she realized he was the missing link from her life. The trouble was that Ash had always been in love with a girl he had travelled with before he met May, a fiery redhead, by the name of Misty. May and Misty had always shared a rivalry and battles between the two had been utterly intense and fiery affairs.

May had always believed that eventually, Ash would end up realizing his feelings for Misty and she would have to find someone else. That had all changed one day not long after she turned 18. Misty had announced unexpectedly that she was leaving Kanto and settling in Sinnoh with a mystery man she had met on holiday there. When May had confronted Misty about this, she had replied staunchly, "I gave Ash the entirety of my heart for the better part of my life. He never once showed any gratitude or any returned the love. I can't go on giving my heart to someone who doesn't want it. I have to give my heart to someone who loves me just as much back. That isn't Ash". With that, she had packed up and left the very same day, never knowing that everything she wanted was always there for her. She left only a note explaining what she had done and why. The effect on Ash had been worse than May ever imagined it would be. He had become depressed and angry, even with Pikachu, to the point where he wouldn't even acknowledge people speaking to him. His sense of betrayal at Misty's actions drove him to fighting with strangers, not taking care of himself or his pokemon and saw his status among the Pokemon League decline massively.

Eventually, after many months of concern for his mental and physical well-being, he decided to get off his ass and do something, which had brought Ash to the conclusion he need to travel round the Kanto region again, to try and take his mind off the pain he felt and reassert his status among the League. Travelling as a youngster was the only time he had been truly happy. May was only too happy to join him and that's how they hand ended up camping in a random field somewhere between Cerulean and Vermillion City. Lying on Ash's chest, in the beautiful sunshine, as much as Ash may not agree, May could think of nowhere else in the world she would rather be right now. "I wish he loved me as much as I love him. If only I could find a way to tell him. Even if he still loves her, I can't put myself through this, he really needs to know, even if he rejects me, at least I can feel more comfortable with travelling with him." May knew however, that she was going to struggle with this, revealing feelings to Ash was a lot harder than it sounded for her, his presence created a permanent knot in her stomach and she could just about make normal conversation with him, talking to him about feelings was akin in her mind to trying to shift a Golem with her bare hands.

Eventually, as the sun rose slowly ever higher in the morning sky, May came round enough to decide to go for a nice walk. Maybe after an hour or so in the crisp morning air, she could feel better about the day ahead. She gently lifted herself off Ash and stretched as lightly as she could. Pikachu, who had been sleeping not too far away from Ash and May, cocked an ear as she walked past. He looked up at May expectantly, and the trainer ushered for the little mouse to follow her, but softly pressed her finger to her lips to signal to be quiet. Pikachu did as he was told and lightly bounded after the brunette, scurrying up onto her shoulder. They walked down about half a mile down to the edge of the field and then into a small wood, toward a wide river. "Pikachu, I have a morning snack for you if you want one?" May asked the electric mouse. "Chu, Pi Pi Pikachu!" the little mouse squeaked in reply. May handed over a small piece of pokemon food and Pikachu ate it gleefully.

Very soon they reached the edge on the river and May set down on a wide rock. Pikachu jumped on ahead and began digging at the side of the river, with no indication as to what it was looking for. May's thoughts were already back with Ash. As they swirled around in her mind she massaged her temple, feebly hoping this would bring some clarity to her confusion and anxiety. "Ash. Sometimes I wonder if it were better for me to go on my own. I love you too much to keep travelling around with you when I know you don't feel the same about me." May looked up. Pikachu was staring at her, a mixture of disbelief and delight on the little mouse's face. Very slowly, the truth dawned on May. She had spoken out loud. And Pikachu, the best friend of the man she loved, had heard and understood her to the fullest extent. His tiny little face slowly clarified to a big smile, as if the little mouse had suspected all along May's feelings and his suspicions had been true. "It's true what they say" May thought "Pokemon really are better at sensing everything than humans". Then a fear struck May that Pikachu might yet tell Ash himself. This idea was dispelled when he bounder over to her and jumped into her lap, snuggling into her stomach. May had already turned an intense shade of red at realizing her outburst, but couldn't help afford a smile at the little mouse. "Ok, maybe he wouldn't. He's acting like he's on my side" she contemplated. She grabbed the little mouse into a hug, one she had seen Ash give to Pikachu a million times. As she cuddled the little guy, she couldn't help but feel like she might have a chance after all. If Pikachu was onside with her, then surely he must know something about his trainer she didn't? Maybe today wasn't going to be as hard a day as she had worried after all.


End file.
